Clutch mechanism



I May 18, 1943 E. v. RIPPINGILLE CLUTCH MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 6, 1939 4 Sheet-Sheet l y 1943 E. v. RIPPINGILLE 2,319,366

cwrcu MECHANISM Original Filed Eeb.'6,' 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 him 1m fdu/afd fl'fa jr vizqille May 18, 1943- E. v. RlPPlNGl LLE CLUTCH MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 6, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 w Jaw May 18, 1943 E. v. RIPPINGILLYE 2, 19,365

' CLUTCH MECHANISM v Original Filed Feb. 6, 19.39 '4 Sheets-Sheet Patented May 18, 1943 CLUTCH MECHANISM Edward V..Rippingille, Detroit, Mich gassignorto General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a

corporation of Delaware Original application February 6, 1939, Serial No. 254,893, now Patent No, 2,284,589, dated May 26, 19.42. Divide-d and this application April 15,

1942, Serial No. 439,117

4 Claims.

This invention is a division of copending application Serial No. 254,893, filed February 6, 1939,

now Patent 2,284,589, issued May26, 1942.

It relates especially, to friction synchronizing and dog clutch means forv transmitting a drive from one shaft to another.

The object of the invention is a shifting mechanisrnwhich first fully engages the synchronizing clutch to bring the driving shaft to the speed of thedriven shaft, and then slightly releases the synchronizing clutch to allow creeping of the dog clutch members relatively to each other, to facilitate engagement thereof.

The above and other objects of the invention will be. apparent as the, description proceeds.

The drawings show: the drive from th vertically disposeducrankshaft of an internal oombustion engine, to a propeller shaft disposedperpendicularly thereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectionalview longitudinally. ofthe propeller shaft.

Figure la shows a propeller mounted on an extension of the propeller shaft...

of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional View with part broken away, onlinei-E of Figure 2..

Figure Sis apart-sectional view of..a part, on

line 56 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 isa part broken. away View, on line Figures 8 to 10 are enlarged, somewhat diagrammatic views, showing various. positions of the reverse synchronizing. and dog clutches,

respectively.

Asshown most clearly. in Figure.l,.the engine crankshaft islvertically disposed and supported inbearings such .as2 in the. engine frame;3.

Mounted on the lower endof: the crankshaft r is. a flywheel 4,. andaz, bevel wheel 5 which is shroudedby the flywheel.

Below the. crankshaft l isa tubular propeller shaft 6 with its axisat rightangles. to. the axis of the crankshaft. Thelpropellershaft 6. is supported atoneend ina double thrustball bearing 8,1 and atithe.othercendxin aplainbearing 9, in

. the-engine frame. Alcauplingz flange. l2; is.pro,-1

vided at one end of the propeller shaft, for an extension l2 propeller l2".

Sleeved over the propeller shaft area pair of tubular members M: and i5. Secured to the thereof on which is mounted a.

. member M are a cone-clutch member it, a. bevel wheel ll, anda dog clutch member I8. Acone clutch member 29, a bevel wheel 2|, and a dog clutch member 22 are similarly secured to the member i5. 7

The bevel wheels I! and 2| are in mesh with the bevel wheel 5 at diametrically opposite points thereof, and hence are driven in opposite directions thereby.

Coacting with the cone clutch members l6 and 29, and the dog clutch members l8 and 22 respectively, of the bevel wheels I1 and 2|, are cone clutch members 24 and 25, and dog clutch members 2S and 21 respectively. The dog clutch members 26 and 21 are splined to the propeller shaft 6, and the cone clutch members 24 andv 25 are splined respectively to the dog clutchmembers 26 and 21.

A bearing 30 surrounds the two sleeves l4 and I5, and through them supports the propeller shaft 6 intermediately of its bearings B and 9.

The cone clutches I6, 24, "and 20, 25 are friction clutches for synchronizing the speeds of the shaft 6 and the bevel wheels I! and 2| to facilitate the engagement of the positive dog clutches IS, 26, and 22, 21, respectively.

Accordingly, as one or the other of the bevel wheels 2| and H is in clutch engagement with the shaft 9, the latter turns in one direction or the other. It will be assumed hereafter that the bevel wheel 2| turns the shaft 6 in a forward direction, and the bevel wheel I! turns it in a reverse direction.

The direction of rotation of the engine crankshaft and the helical hand of the propeller are such that the thrust axially of the shaft 6 between the bevel wheel 5 and either of the bevel wheels l1 and 2| is in each instance in an opposite direction to the thrust of the=propeller in either a forward or "reverse direction, thereby very materially reducing the need for other means of takingthese thrusts.

Thus, assuming clockwise rotation of the crankshaft l (as seen from above in Figure, 1), a propeller with a left hand helix, a shown in Figure 1a, connected to the coupling flange l2, will give a thrust to the left when driven through the bevel wheel 2|, and a thrust to the rightwhen driven through the bevel wheel ll, a propellerwith a righthand helix will give-a thrust. to the; right when driven through the bevel wheel 2| and a thrust to the left when driven through the bevel wheel I'I.

With clockwise rotation of the crankshaft I, the thrust in either direction of a propeller with a left hand helix will be balanced to a considerable extent by the thrust between the bevel wheels IT or 2|, and 5, of its driving means; a propeller with a right hand helix would require anti-clockwise rotation of the crankshaft I (a seen from above) for this condition to be satisfied.

As best shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, movement of the synchronizing clutch member and the dog clutch member 21, to effect engagement and disengagement of the forward drive clutches, is effected by levers such as 3D and 3|, respectively. The levers and iii are fulcrumed intermediately of their ends, on a pin 33, in a bracket which is pivotable about a pin 31' in a bracket 38, of the engine frame.

One end of the lever 30 has pivotally connected 7 thereto a shoe embracing a flange 42 on the boss of the synchronizing clutch member 25. The other end of the lever 36 is provided with a roller follower 44 for a cam 45 on a tubular shaft 46 extending transversely of the shaft 5, and supported in suitable bearings 48 and 49 respectively in the bracket 38 and a similar bracket 5I spaced from the bracket 38 on the engine frame. The lever 30 is yieldingly held with its roller 44 against the cam 45 by a torsion coil spring 52.

One end of the-lever 3| has pivotally connected thereto a shoe 54 engaging an annular groove 56 in the outer circumference of the dog clutch 21. The other end of the lever 3| is in the form of a sector 51 having a number of teeth 58 adapted to be engaged by the teeth of a gear segment 52 on the shaft 55, and capable only of moving the sector 51 through a part of a revolution in either direction. A spring loaded detent 53 is mounted in the bracket 38 on the engine frame, and tends to hold the lever 3| and with it the dog clutch 21 in a disengaged or in engaged position, accordingly as it engages one or the other of two depressions and 35, spaced from each other on the periphery of the sector 57.

Movement of the synchronizing clutch member 24 and the dog clutch member 25, to effect engagement and disengagement of the reverse clutches, is effected by levers such as '55 and "II and associated parts, which are similar if not identical with the levers such as 38 and SI and their associated parts thus far described. The levers I0 and II are fulcrumed intermediately of their ends, on a pin I3 in a bracket f5, which is pivotable about a pin Tl in a bracket it of the engine frame.

One end of the lever '35 has pivotally connected thereto a shoe 80, embracing a flange 82 on the boss of the synchronizing clutch member 24. The other end of the lever Ii! is provided with a roller follower 84, for a cam 85 on a tubular shaft 85 extending transversely of the shaft 5, and supported in suitable bearings (not shown), similar to those for the shaft 46.

The lever I0 is yieldingly held with its roller 84 against the cam 85, by a torsion coil spring 92.

One end ofthe lever H has pivotally connected thereto a shoe 94 engaging an annular groove 95 in the outer circumference of the dog clutch 26. The other end of the lever H is in the form of a sector 91 having a number of teeth 58 adapteither direction. A spring loaded detent I93 is ure l.

'tubular cross shafts 45 and 86 may be provided with a cam and gear sector such as I I5 and I32 (as shown in Figure 2) duplicating on the oppo'site side of the propeller shaft 5, the cam 45 and gear sector 52, and the cam and gear sector IE2 on. the shafts 43 and 86 respectively, for actuating levers and associated parts (not shown), similar to the levers- 30, 3I and III, II and which are moved, of course, identically with their respective counterparts.

The shafts 45 and 85 of the forwards and reverse shifting mechanism are connected by a roller chain I34, for which they are provided at one end with chain wheels I35 and I36 respectively. The ends of each of the shafts 46 and 86 to which the chain wheels I35 and I35 are connected are supported respectively by tubular spigots I38 and I39 formed on cover plates I43 and MI of the engine frame, as shown in Figures 2 and 6.

The roller chain I34 is driven by a sprocket wheel I42, above the chain wheel I35, and secured to the tubular spindle E43 of a worm wheel I44, which has a bearing I45 in the engine frame.

As shown best in Figures 6 and '7, above the chain wheel I35 a sprocket I41 has a bearing on a spigot I49 which is eccentrically mounted on a plate i521. The plate I50 has a plurality of circumferentially disposed holes l5l, through any of which it may be secured to the engine frame along with a cover plate I53, by bolts such as I54.

The roller chain I34 passes over the sprocket i4'I which, because of the eccentric mounting of its spigot I49 onthe plate I50, may be moved by turning of the plate I55 into different positions relatively to the engine frame and the bolts I54, to adjust the tension or take up slack in the chain I34.

The position of the brackets such as 35 and I5 about their pivot pins such as 31 and TI can be varied within limits by means of adjusting screws such as I55 and I51 through the engine frame (as shown in Figure 4) to adjust the position of the fulcrums 33 and I3 of the levers 30, 3| and it, II, to compensate for wear of the linings of the synchronizing clutches 20, 25 and I6, 24.

The worm wheel I44 is driven from a reversible electric motor I55, through a reduction gear comprising a pinion IEI, and a gear wheel I62 having a splined coupling with the shaft I63 of a worm 64, as shown in Figure 3.

In Figure l the clutch members 25, 21, and 24, 25 are shown in a neutral position in which no drive is transmitted from the engine crankshaft I to the propeller shaft 5. Figures 4 and 5 show the levers such as 30, 3|, and "III, 'II in a corresponding position.

Referring now to Figures 8 to 10 showing various positions of the reverse drive clutches; in Figure 8 the shaft 86 has been turned 55 in an anti-clockwise direction from its position in Fig- The roller follower 84 of the lever I0 is on the peak of the cam 85, and thereby the lever "10 has been turned about its fulcrum vI3, fully engaging the synchronizing clutch members I5 and 24, and transmitting a reverse drive therethrough to the shaft 6.

In Figure 9, the shaft 86 has been turned a further 31 (or 86 from neutral), and the contour of the cam 85 is such that the synchronizing clutch members I6 and 24 have been released slightly, allowing creeping of the dog clutch members I8 and 26 relatively to each other.

It will be noted that the gear segment I02 is just about to engage the teeth 98 of the gear sector 91 of the lever II.

In Figure 10 the shaft 86 has been turned a still further 64 (or 150 from neutral); the gear segment I02 has turned thegear sector 91 from a position in which the spring loaded detent I03 engages the depression I05 and the dogclutch I8 and 26 is disengaged, to a position in which the detent I03 engages the depression I06 and the dog clutch I0 and 28 is fully engaged.

The sequence of movement of the forward" l in one direction from neutral to engage one of the dog clutches I8, 26 or 22,- 21; back through 150 in an opposite direction, to neutral; and through a further 150 in that direction, to engage the other of the dog clutches I8, 26, or 22, 21. Thus the shafts are turned through a total of 300 between fully engaged positions of the clutches for forward and reverse drive respectively.

It will be observed that the cams and gear segments are such that through 150 of their rotation in either direction they leave one or the other of the sets of levers 30, 3| and 10, II entirely unaffected, so that throughout the operation of engagement and disengagement of the clutches for forward drive, the reverse clutches remain disengaged, and vice versa;

In order that the shafts 45 and 86 may be turned through the required 150 in either direction from neutral by the motor I00, a suitable control means for the motor I60 is provided.

I claim: I

1. In a friction synchronizing and dog clutch mechanismbetween a driving and a driven member, a shift lever for the?" 'tion synchronizing clutch; a shift lever for the'dog clutch, a cam for moving the shift lever for} the synchronizing clutch, and a toothed gear segment for moving the shift lever for the dog; clutch; said cam and said toothed gear segment being secured to a single turnable shaft, andsaid cam being so shaped and phased in relation to the toothed gear segment that upon-turning said turnable shaft, the cam first moves its shift lever to fully engage the synchronizing clutch to bring the driven member to the speed of the driving member, and then slightly releases the synchronizing clutch to allow relative creeping between the driving and driven members while the toothed gear segment moves its shift lever to engage the dog clutch.

2. The combination according to claim 1, in p which the shiftable dog clutch is splined to the driven member, and the shiftable friction synchronizing clutch is splined to the dog clutch.

3. The combination according to claim 1, in which a spring detent tends'to hold the shift lever for the dog clutch in positions corresponding respectively to the engaged-and disengaged positions thereof.

4. The combination according to claim 1 in which the shift levers arefulcrumed on a pin in a bracket which is adjustable about a fixed axis to compensate for wear of the lining of the synchronizing clutch.

EDWARD v. RIPPINGILLE. 

